São Tomé and Príncipe - ST - STP - STP - Africa

embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the US Ambassador to Angola is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe

mailing address: 2290 Sao Tome Place, Washington DC  20521-2290

0-14 years: 36.4% (male 41,337/female 40,106)

15-64 years: 60.3% (male 67,101/female 67,775)

65 years and over: 3.2% (2024 est.) (male 3,115/female 4,127)

1 00 N, 7 00 E

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

flooding

more than five times the size of Washington, D.C.

18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service (reportedly not enforced); 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service (2023)

deforestation and illegal logging; soil erosion and exhaustion; inadequate sewage treatment in cities; biodiversity preservation

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

55.5% (2017 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

lowest 10%: 2.6% (2017 est.)

highest 10%: 32.8% (2017 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

crude petroleum, cocoa beans, vehicle parts/accessories, palm oil, aircraft parts (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Pakistan 54%, Germany 11%, Netherlands 7%, France 5%, UAE 3% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

6 districts (distritos, singular - distrito), 1 autonomous region* (regiao autonoma); Agua Grande, Cantagalo, Caue, Lemba, Lobata, Me-Zochi, Principe*

plantains, oil palm fruit, taro, bananas, fruits, cocoa beans, yams, coconuts, cassava, vegetables (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (Forcas Armadas de Sao Tome e Principe, FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2024)

note: the Army and Coast Guard are responsible for external security while the public security police and judicial police maintain internal security; both the public security police and the military report to the Ministry of Defense and Internal Affairs; the judicial police report to the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, and Human Rights

revenues: $128.764 million (2022 est.)

expenditures: $122.193 million (2022 est.)

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

name: Sao Tome

geographic coordinates: 0 20 N, 6 44 E

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese, who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day

ships, refined petroleum, rice, electric generating sets, cars (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

209 km

history: approved 5 November 1975

amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; the Assembly can propose to the president of the republic that an amendment be submitted to a referendum

dobras (STD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
22.658 (2023 est.)
23.29 (2022 est.)
20.71 (2021 est.)
21.507 (2020 est.)
21.885 (2019 est.)

chief of state: President Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (since 2 October 2021)

head of government: Prime Minister Américo d'Oliveira DOS RAMOS (since 12 January 2025)  

cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 18 July 2021 with a runoff on 5 September 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president

election results:
2021: Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (IDA) 39.5%; Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA (MLSTP-PSD) 20.8%; Delfim NEVES (PCD-GR) 16.9%; Abel BOM JESUS (independent) 3.6%; Maria DAS NEVES (independent) 3.3%; other 15.9%; percent of the vote in second round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA 57.5%, Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA 42.5%

2016: Evaristo CARVALHO elected president; percent of vote - Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 49.8%, Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 24.8%, Maria DAS NEVES (MLSTP-PSD) 24.1%; note - first round results for CARVALHO were revised downward from just over 50%, prompting the 7 August runoff; however, on 1 August 2016 DA COSTA withdrew from the runoff, citing voting irregularities, and Evaristo CARVALHO was declared the winner

three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; green stands for the country's rich vegetation, red recalls the struggle for independence, and yellow represents cocoa, one of the country's main agricultural products; the two stars symbolize the two main islands

note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal Justica (consists of 5 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 5 judges, 3 of whom are from the Supreme Court)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the National Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for 5-year terms

subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Audit Court

total: 0 km

agricultural land: 44.8% (2022 est.)

arable land: 4.2% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 39.6% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 1% (2022 est.)

forest: 52.8% (2022 est.)

other: 2.4% (2022 est.)

mixed legal system of civil law based on the Portuguese model and customary law

legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional)

legislative structure: unicameral

number of seats: 55 (all directly elected)

electoral system: proportional representation

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 4 years

most recent election date: 9/25/2022

parties elected and seats per party: Independent Democratic Alliance (ADI) (30); Sao Tome and Principe Liberation Movement/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP - PSD) (18); Movement of Independent Citizens - Socialist Party (MCI - PS) - National Unity Party (PUN) (5); Other (2)

percentage of women in chamber: 14.5%

expected date of next election: September 2026

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.8%

male: 96.5%

female: 91.1% (2021)

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CEMAC, CPLP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

noun: Sao Tomean(s)

adjective: Sao Tomean

fish, hydropower

the second-smallest African country (after the Seychelles); the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes, and both are mountainous

lower middle-income Central African island economy; falling cocoa production due to drought and mismanagement; joint oil venture with Nigeria; government owns 90% of land; high debt, partly from fuel subsidies; tourism gutted by COVID-19

BASTA Movement 
Independent Democratic Action or ADI 
Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD 
Movement of Independent Citizens of São Tomé and Príncipe - Socialist Party or MCI-PS 
National Unity Party or PUN

18 years of age; universal

general assessment: local telephone network of adequate quality with most lines connected to digital switches; mobile cellular superior choice to landline; dial-up quality low; broadband expensive (2018)

domestic: fixed-line is 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 85 telephones per 100 persons (2021)

international: country code - 239; landing points for the Ultramar GE and ACE submarine cables from South Africa to over 20 West African countries and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

volcanic, mountainous

semi-presidential republic

the FASTP is one of the smallest militaries in Africa and consists of only a few companies of ground troops and some small patrol boats

in November 2022, the FASTP's headquarters was attacked shortly after the prime minister's inauguration in what São Tomé authorities described as an attempted coup; in 2024, the governments of Russia and São Tomé and Principe signed a military cooperation agreement, which included training, materiel and logistics support, and information sharing (2024)

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe

local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

etymology: Sao Tome was named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day; Principe is a shortening of the original Portuguese name of "Ilha do Principe" (Isle of the Prince), referring to Prince ALPHONSO of Portugal

Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon

Africa

100 sq km (2012)

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604
New York, NY 101168

telephone: [1] (212) 317-0533

FAX: [1] (212) 317-0580

email address and website:
stp1@attglobal.net

Sao Tome and Principe Permanent Mission to the United Nations

percent of population: 57% (2022 est.)

.st

$678.976 million (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2015)

urban population: 76.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

1 government-owned TV station; 2 government-owned radio stations; 7 independent local radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 94% of population

total: 98.5% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 6% of population

total: 1.5% of population (2020 est.)

name: "Independencia total" (Total Independence)

lyrics/music: Alda Neves DA GRACA do Espirito Santo/Manuel dos Santos Barreto de Sousa e ALMEIDA

note: adopted 1975

80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)

palm tree; national colors: green, yellow, red, black

19.4 years (2008/09 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

49.7% (2019)

household consumption: 81.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 17.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 33.4% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 7.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -40.4% (2017 est.)

total dependency ratio: 65.8 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 60.4 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 5.4 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 18.6 (2024 est.)

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sao Tome and Principe

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities as shown in this population distribution map

electrification - total population: 78% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas: 80%

electrification - rural areas: 73.7%

S9

improved:

urban: 57.1% of population

rural: 42.8% of population

total: 53.4% of population

unimproved:

urban: 42.9% of population

rural: 57.2% of population

total: 46.6% of population (2020 est.)

Mestico, Angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), Forros (descendants of freed slaves), Servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cabo Verde), Tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese), Asians (mostly Chinese)

Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.9%, Mana 2.3%, Universal Kingdom of God 2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012 est.)

Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4%; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.)

note: shares of language sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Portugal 35%, Angola 13%, Gabon 11%, Japan 8%, China 6% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

0.46 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

7.8% of GDP (2021)

the FASTP has approximately 500 personnel (2023)

the FASTP is lightly armed and has a small inventory of mostly older weapons and equipment  (2023)

municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 600,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

2.18 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 25,587 tons (2014 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 33.75 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.12 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 0.04 megatons (2020 est.)

women married by age 15: 5.4%

women married by age 18: 28%

men married by age 18: 3.1% (2019 est.)

fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

1.63 (2024 est.)

51.9% (2023 est.)

1.47% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.88% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.02% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

total ports: 2 (2024)

large: 0

medium: 0

small: 0

very small: 2

ports with oil terminals: 0

key ports: Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

77,000 (2023 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total: 21.1% (2023 est.)

male: 15.3% (2023 est.)

female: 33.5% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

-6.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

total: 20.8 years (2024 est.)

male: 20.4 years

female: 21.2 years

$352.814 million (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

146 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

$46.247 million (2023 est.)
$64.476 million (2022 est.)
$75.017 million (2021 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

88.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

3.31 children born/woman (2024 est.)

14.21% (2023 est.)
14.12% (2022 est.)
15.04% (2021 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 223,561 (2024 est.)

male: 111,553

female: 112,008

146,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 146,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total : 964 sq km

land: 964 sq km

water: 0 sq km

26.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

$1.279 billion (2023 est.)
$1.275 billion (2022 est.)
$1.272 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

2 (2025)

total: 42.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 46.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 39 deaths/1,000 live births

total subscriptions: 152,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 87 (2022 est.)

40.7 (2017 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

21.26% (2023 est.)
18.01% (2022 est.)
8.14% (2021 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

-$79.437 million (2022 est.)
-$95.248 million (2021 est.)
-$59.595 million (2020 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$5,500 (2023 est.)
$5,600 (2022 est.)
$5,700 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

total: 6,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.)

total: 5.7% (2020 est.)

male: 10.1% (2020 est.)

female: 1.3% (2020 est.)

12.4% (2016)

8.875 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

26.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

installed generating capacity: 29,000 kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 47.05 million kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 40.95 million kWh (2023 est.)

total: 25 (2023)

by type: general cargo 15, oil tanker 4, other 6

5.4% (2019)

$219.322 million (2022 est.)
$201.145 million (2021 est.)
$160.097 million (2020 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$96.977 million (2022 est.)
$75.256 million (2021 est.)
$49.337 million (2020 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

total subscriptions: 2,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)

total: 4.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 3.58 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total population: 67.7 years (2024 est.)

male: 66 years

female: 69.4 years

0.37% (2023 est.)
0.17% (2022 est.)
1.9% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

-2.06% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

agriculture: 13.7% (2023 est.)

industry: 2.8% (2023 est.)

services: 75.9% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

1.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.42% (2024 est.)